1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid container having a liquid reservoir for temporarily storing liquid.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional liquid containers of this kind involve a problem that the expansion of air due to the pressure difference between the external atmosphere and the inside among other factors causes the stored liquid to drop from the liquid supply outlet, and there are known many different liquid containers each provided with a liquid reservoir to avoid this problem (as disclosed in, for instance, the Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-2989 and the International Publication No. WO97/12765).
The liquid reservoir has a reservoir tank consisting of grooves formed like combs, and the reservoir tank is arranged outside the guiding portion in the direction of its outer diameter separated from the guiding portion, the guiding portion connecting a main tank and the supply outlet. The rear end of the liquid reservoir has a liquid flow port communicating with the main tank, while the fore end of the liquid reservoir has an air flow port communicating with the outside.
In the liquid container described above, the liquid having overflowed the main tank as a result of a rise in internal air pressure passes the liquid flow port, settles in the reservoir tank consisting of comb-like grooves and, when the air pressure returns to its previous level, returns from the reservoir tank into the main tank via the liquid flow port. However, the whole quantity of the liquid having overflowed the main tank cannot return to the main tank, and there always remains in the reservoir tank the part of the liquid that does not return to the main tank, resulting in a problem that the part of the liquid that remains in the reservoir tank cannot be used.